Dominic Corbin Grant Granger
by TheBeautifullyDarkAngel
Summary: Hermione has been working on a summer project. Take a look inside to see the what it entail. It might just surprise you. Even if you don't enjoy Hermione stories try this one it might exceed your expectations.
1. New Phone

**I do not own Harry Potter. There done no need to write it again.**

Hermione has been working on this project for weeks now. She was currently sitting on her fluffy pink mat. She had done almost several weeks of reading and preparation to make sure it doesn't go wrong. She had spent hundreds upon hundreds of days sitting on this mat previously, but today was the most significant. Her eyes were intently reading the pages of the book for what could've been the 30th time that day, checking for the slightest hint of a miscalculation or inaccuracy. She could have recited the pages verbatim after the second time of reading it, but this was too important. There could be no room for error. For five weeks she laboured. She stirred it the correct amount of times. Heated it to the correct temperature levels on the correct days. Added the chimaera essence at the correct time of day.

Its pearlescent amethyst colour indicated that everything had gone right. This was the most complicated potion she'd ever done. Its possibilities made it all the more exciting. Now at true midnight, it would be complete. One last ingredient.

Summer is almost over. It was mid-August and Hermione sat sprawled on her bedroom floor. Usually, she'd lay in this position reading her course books several times over but not this time. This year was going to mark the start of a new beginning in her life and not just because it is going to be the start of her NEWT courses. She was going to have a lot of time on her hands. Normally they had around 11 subjects but this year only seven. While reading will always be her passion, she sought a new challenge. She had already ventured into the world of wandless and wordless magic but this was new, the art of potion-making.

Her Potions book described the skill wonderfully really hitting home the art standpoint. It was the kind of thing that should have been given to first years to make them actually take the class seriously. She didn't even need to think long about giving this book to Ron for him to read. Difficult to be certain but any magical person with a passion for the subject could do if determined enough. Even Neville if he could get over his fear of Snape. It was definitely the sort of change this witch needed for her sanity.

The ministry was getting lax in its underage magic rules. Only a few threats of expulsion for wand magic and wandless, not that she was any good yet. You'd think spending so much time with Ron and Harry her studies would lessen but she just made up for lost time at home. This summer though her wand lay untouched on her desk, somehow, not a touch of dust on it like it was just set down seconds before. However neglectful the ministry is in monitoring the wands of underage witches and wizards, she wasn't going to risk it a third time. Instead, she turned to potion brewing, the book having piqued her interest. She wasn't certain if it was illegal or not but as long they didn't know it wouldn't hurt her nor them.

Her summer project was the simmering elixir in the cauldron in front of her. Watching this was the thing that kept her creative mind active and it made her barely notice that she was sitting on the floor watching a weirdly shaped bowl. She could watch this for hours. She leaned against her makeshift chair getting comfortable for the long watch. Her rather large dragon stuffed animal made for an ideal DIY bean-bag chair. It would take several hours for the moon to hit its peak and for true twilight to dawn for only a second before calming. One more ingredient at this time and the potion would be complete. Hermione waited patiently because it not only means that if she could complete this she could complete anything but that she finally does something she'd always wanted.

Several hours later, she shifted from her prone position and stretched with a satisfying crack of her limbs filled the air. Her body somehow escapes the numbness that starts when sitting in a position for too long. She surveys her room having noticed something swoop in from the window a few minutes ago. Hedwig had flown in and politely, Hermione assumed, waiting to be noticed and deliver her burden. "I wonder what Harry wrote this time?" She asked having already figured out the only possible explanation for the letter secured to Hedwig's leg. Harry had sent over several letters over the holidays and unless someone stole Hedwig for their own mail, this is yet another. The letter had squarish writing scrawled down with a quill, Harry's handwriting.

She had loads to tell Harry, but she didn't want to tell him all the things she was doing while he was stuck at home. She was sure he'd gotten enough of that from Ron. And considering she probably knew less about Voldemort than he did, both having not gone to Grimmauld Place she couldn't find something to write to him about. She spent hours writing to Harry in the afternoon thinking of the correct things to say. It didn't help that Dumbledore personally told both her and Ron to write to Harry.

She didn't quite understand why Dumbledore even felt the need to mention writing to Harry. She was going to do it anyway. He had approached her and Ron at the end of term and he somehow was able to come off as both kind and demanding that they keep in touch with Harry. Hermione could tell that Ron was puzzled as to why he felt the need to ask but hid it well. Instead, he played the card of being as thick as clotted cream and nodded dumbly. She didn't know why he did that, downplay his intelligence, but it was something he did often. And when he did Hermione learned to just play along and explained to Ron that with the loss of Sirius, Harry needs the support of his friends. And that it might stop him from doing something stupid. Quite honestly she thinks he did that so that she could have the opportunity to teach someone. It usually helped get her thoughts in order.

She tore open the letter and read its contents. The basics are the same thing he usually wrote.

Hello Mione,

Thank you for the support you guys have been giving me. You didn't actually need to but you did. I'm feeling nervous about everything the future holds. Are you? It's just here I am twiddling my thumbs and revising things I've already learned, like you suggested. And on top of that something tells me that I'm going to meet up with Voldemort again. I'm trying to get ready to protect everyone, you guys especially. I know I wouldn't last very long if something happened to either of you.

Our friend with the furry little problem wrote to tell me that they'll be picking me up on Monday to take me back home. Your going aren't you? I'm assuming you are. And if your parents say they won't let you hear are some suggestions: tell them you'll fail your exams and it will be their faults, tell them that your last letter would make your teeth fall out until you go, or better yet tell them their teeth will fall out.

I'm certain I know how Sirius felt now. I haven't left my house in six weeks. My legs would have already started the process of becoming mush if it wasn't for my random exercise times. I don't know how he managed it there for six months. I suppose having his best friend helps, or friends in my case, but Ron tends to mute his interests alot and I'd rather not spend 6 months playing wizard chess and loose everytime.

I'll probably see you soon. If you do find out anything you think I don't know owl me straight away. I am always here...

-Harry

P.s. I know you have been doing some project all summer. Fill me in. I'd love to know.

Hermione chuckled to herself. Of course, he knew she'd be doing some sort of project. She liked it when he wrote. Not just because he took the time to do so but she liked to hear from him. Ron wrote on occasion too but you could tell he was usually too excited to send it by the inkblots and fasted paced writing. Harry, however, took his time. You could tell he took care not to spill ink onto the textured surface of the parchment. She knew that was mostly due to the fact that he had nothing better to do but it was nice nonetheless. And it was good to see he was taking her advice to revise. She didn't question it because if he really wasn't reviewing he would have said or just not mentioned it. She was laxer in her getting her friends to study, so if he hadn't he wouldn't have gotten the ten owls a day she would have sent back in second year. So the possibility of him lying just for some peace and quiet is pretty much non-existent. Still, if there was a reason he'd study harder, it would be the death of a family member. In this case a Godfather. Harry had already been hurt enough in his life, and the death of Sirius was just the icing on the cake. It hurt them all as well but just like always Harry would find a way to blame it on himself. His guilt would make him think he was responsible whether he was or wasn't.

She set the letter back in the envelope and put it with the others she's gotten over the years. On a rack, she bought just for this purpose. Next to it was monster stacks of books and journals. She looked back at Hedwig noticing she was still present. She was drinking from a water bowl she kept for tired owls to drink from. Hedwig didn't show any interest in Hermione which told her that Harry hadn't told her he wanted a swift reply.

"You can rest for a bit more here. If you so choose," she said as the female owl chirped in acknowledgement barely lifting her head from the water.

She decided she was going to write in the same vein she usually did. She would recount her most recent time but in a believably dull way. She knew this would make him feel better. Even if he didn't actually know why. It would make his sorry experience of a summer seem better by comparison. Like how his only slightly interesting stories made its way onto the parchment. Stories like how he'd do a new training regime for the week to get more athletic or how he used wandless magic to mess with Dudley and not get caught by the ministry.

Even though she hadn't started on the original letter she started in the second half of the letter. She got out two phones. She had saved up for months to get these. She worked multiple jobs over the last two summers. They were Motorola StarTAC, they just came out this year. She was originally going to get different ones but they seemed so perfect. It was so Harry could call her during the summer instead of owling. She wrote a quick note explaining what they were for and that her number was already installed inside of it. She also wrote what her current project was and that he could call her if he had any questions or wanted to hang out. She stuck one of the phones in a package and put the second letter in the envelope and put it on her desk. She needed a bit more time to think of what to write in the original letter and now wasn't the time.

"Okay, let's do this, Hermione," she said as she got up from her desk. Her potion was almost done. Her parents would be home soon and she needs to prepare. She needed to think of what to say. If she waited too long she would have to improvise. She'd have an hour after her parents got home but during that time she'd rather spend time with her parental figures. She liked the normally boring tasks of things like peeling vegetables if it meant more time with them. She only got to see them on holiday every year. So she treasured the moments before she was shipped back to the world magic.

Not being home year-round you start to notice things. The hair going slightly greyer, the wrinkles getting more pronounced. It only made her love her parents more. Harry never truly got to feel this way. If he noticed the way she'd come to appreciate them, he didn't say. But he wouldn't be Harry if he did notice the small things.

Though as long as she had her friends it was worth missing her parents. She could tell that the more time spent with them the more they fit as a group. Ron, for example, used to be extremely exhausting with the near-constant bickering. Now he had slightly matured and it happened less. He used to seem as though, he was laughing at her but now that was completely gone. He now argued with her in a way that sated both of their desires to have an in-depth conversation. Harry used to be quiet to an extent but now he didn't have trouble speaking his mind when in their presence. He was also showing more of his cunning than he would have felt comfortable in the house of lions previously. She even noticed the changes in herself. She was more relaxed, not as high strung. She enjoyed the time where she could just sit and chat with them. It used to be Harry noticing that Ron would subtly make fun of her and not mention it. It was almost like an unspoken truce. But as the years went by Ron stopped and he became more himself.

Before she sat down to think, she set up the last couple of things needed for measuring the twilight. The book said that the elaborate equipment she'd gotten was the most important part. It would need to be on a full moon so that the stars surrounding Mars reflected off the moon and gave an accurate counting of the Astro-magnetic balance.

Hermione sat down thinking of what to say as the second half of the countdown showed on the watch. What would it be like to use the potion? The first time it was supposed to be painful but it got easier. The book didn't explain in detail how it was supposed to feel but she got the basics. Turn into a boy for a day and be able to switch between the two for the rest of her life. If that wasn't something. She often wondered if she was truly meant to be only a girl. This thought process happened long before she met Harry and Ron but it had definitely become more noticeable. She was often very happy with what her body was. But some days it felt horrible and she couldn't tell why. But the thought of being a boy helped on those days. She learned it had nothing to do with liking boys or girls. It was all about her. She knew that some boys had a tendency to look several inches below a girls chin when they talked and that some tended to complain after going to a few shops but this wasn't as much for them to stop looking at her like a piece of cake as it was for her to feel right in the body she was given. She didn't do it because she didn't like to be stared at, quite the contrary, but to be more comfortable.

One day was all it took. Be a boy for a day and be able to switch between the two. She'd finally be able to see it from that perspective. She knew there were some stereotypes for the opposite gender but it wasn't that big a deal. She bought a new wardrobe of boy clothes that fit her style. She knew it'd be funny to walk around while a guy in girl clothes, but she decided to go all the way. She might just try it one day the Scottish seem to enjoy their skirts. Maybe she could finally hang out with Harry and buy some clothes together. Merlin knows he needs a new wardrobe as well, with his looking like they've been taken from a rabid dog.

She might actually decide to partake in some boy stereotypes. Talk about sports and eat with her mouth open. She knew that the potion would change her on a chemical level allowing her to truly be a boy when she switched so it might change some parts of her thinking process. She wasn't sure if she'd stay the same height, so she bought clothes several sizes larger just in case. It's possible the longer she spent as a boy the more likely she is to be taller. She even bought men's underwear understanding that the pants would be for someone younger. She wondered how large hers would be. She wasn't one of the girls to think of that sort of stuff so she's never seen one but she heard six inches was about average. It was going to be great. The freedom of being able to choose either one excited her. It would be euphoric, she'd bet.

She even bought new shoes. Her normal ones could pass as boy ones but it wouldn't feel the same. She assumed she'd grow into them if they didn't fit immediately. She didn't want to have to pinch a pair of her father's. She was excited to wear the boxers not only because she'd be living the young boys' dream but because she heard Ron and Harry talking about how comfortable they are. Even now she knew that the extra material used to make them was amazing.

She's already worn them but that was as Hermione Granger. She wanted to feel them as Him. She didn't care that her parents didn't raise her as "that kind of girl." She knew her parents would support her but that conversation was still a hurdle she'd have to jump over. The subject would definitely warrant worry but she could do this. She already knew that no matter how she phrased it, it'd sound weird. So she just needed to practice. She could say she couldn't be the only person who had ever wondered what it was to be the opposite gender. But then she'd have to explain why she chose the potion to be able to switch between the two. She knew she wasn't the only one, someone obviously took the time to create the potion. Her parents, however, might not understand. They were inclined to be cautious of magical things. Magic wasn't very sensible and they being very sensible thinkers with hard-learned dentist practices it made sense they'd be wary.

The front door rattled meaning her parents were home. She walked downstairs to the living room where her parents just entered.

"Hello, Honey. How's your day been? Bet you've been reading no doubt?" asked Michael Granger as he greeted her proudly.

"Yes, Daddy, some today," Hermione answered. She was nervous and it showed. The conversation would have to happen sooner or later and now was as good a time as any. She knew they'd be confused and it would be better to explain now; than have them find out later.

"We should have a talk. It's important," Hermione said as she took a deep breath. She noticed her daddy showing signs of slight worry as well as her mommy.

"You're not pregnant are you?" he asked sternly as he studied her stomach expecting to see something move under her jumper. Hermione was aghast. Did they really think so little?

"Daddy! I'm only sixteen. I'll have you know I'm still a virgin. Don't you trust me?" she asked obviously hurt.

"It's not that I don't trust you. I just don't trust teenage boys. I know what they are like at this age. And I know some of them have a way with words only to get the one thing on their minds," he said obviously speaking from experience.

"I know that too. Which is why I'm hurt you'd think I'd fall for that," Hermione said her voice steady and normal despite her anger. Her mommy finally said something and turned to Michael.

"You need to give Hermione credit. She isn't the sort of girl to get into that kind of trouble. You know how smart she is. Give her more credit." Great now her mum was on a rant. If she knew if she let this continue they'd get sidetracked then it would take ages to bring it back to before.

"As I was saying," Hermione said raising her voice to get her parents' attention. "This summer I brewed a potion." She practised this plenty of times in the mirror she wouldn't falter now. She could feel herself starting to squirm under the collective gaze of her parents but she pushed on; her voice remaining steady.

"It must be something important to you if you feel you need to tell us. It is illegal isn't it?" her mother jokes.

"No. Maybe? Probably? Definitely," Hermione answered sounding particularly innocent. It didn't alleviate the worries of her parents only making it worse.

"Why would you risk it? You could get expelled!" her father panicked and started pacing. She grabbed her father stopping him.

"It's fine. Whether it's illegal or not unless one of us tells the ministry they'll never know. But yes, there is a strong possibility that if you told them I would get expelled," she waved off not even noticing her tone suggested that she did this all the time.

"They wouldn't send you to Alcatraz or whatever would they?" Her mother asked worriedly.

"Azkaban. And no they couldn't but even if they could they shouldn't know." She knew her parents were on board when their eyes held the determination not to let their only child be expelled.

"What will this mystery potion you made do?" Michael asked unsurely.

"It will allow me to turn into a boy."

Silence filled the air, broken by the sound of a body slumped to the floor. Mrs. Granger had passed out. She awoke in the kitchen with Hermione and her husband looking over her less than a minute later. She lay there for several minutes as her brain tried to make sense of why she was on the floor. "You fainted," Michael said clearly, bringing a glass of water to her lips as she sat up. She nodded after taking a sip to show she understood.

"Probably because I said I took a potion to turn me into a boy," Hermione added, figuring she wasn't going to remember on her own for a few more minutes. Hermione chose her words carefully because she knew that if they knew the potion sat in her room waiting to be finished they wouldn't allow it. They would sooner dump it in the bin or down the sink before they knowingly let her take it.

"Why would you do that to yourself? Aren't you happy the way you are?" Monica asked as she stared teary-eyed at her daughter. "If it's because you are confused about your feelings or emotions. And that you find yourself thinking girls are pretty then it's perfectly normal. There was no need to be drastic." Hermione wasn't prepared for this reaction. Shouting maybe but not this. She expected a response akin to anger, not sadness.

"I am sorry I hurt you this way, Mum. But to be honest, sometimes I'm not okay with the way I am and know it has nothing to do with liking girls but to feel comfortable. The potion only lasts for a day after that I can choose which one I'd rather be. And if I don't like it, I can just decide to go back the following day."

"You can switch back the next day? You're certain if it?" Michael said with a sliver of hope in his voice. Monica looked up with a tiny smile and dried her tears a little.

"Certain. I got the idea for the end of year exam. We will be tested on our potion-making skills. We can choose only one of the five, this is similar to one of them. It is actually harder. I am using this to get some practice. If I could do this I can do that one. And I may not be completely happy with my body but that's what this potion will do. You'll still have your daughter on some days. I hope you don't think I'm funny in the head. And it helps my grades; I hope you can understand."

She cast each of her parents a childish unsure smile. It was a mixture of the one she used to her get way and uncertainty. Her parents gave hesitant looks to each other. They were worried she'd wouldn't be able to change back if she didn't like it. They would have it that she never drank it in the first place, but they knew she could be stubborn when it came to things she wanted.

"I guess I've always wondered what it was like to have a son?" Her father gave in with a shrug. Hermione's smile was outright beaming at the approval. She was so happy but she wanted to make sure they understood.

"If this works as well as I think it will, you guys will sometimes have a daughter other times a son. Neither will be all the time. But I may choose one for weeks or months on end. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is, Sweetheart. We might not completely understand but you're perfect in every way. And if you decide to have kids I'd bet they'd be perfect too," Monica said hugging her daughter. Hermione knew that there was no doubt that her parents loved her but she knew that they could have just stayed in denial about it. It was always nice to physically hear her parents say they love her.

After a long and tiresome discussion about Hermione's plan and reasoning. They stopped worrying and her mother's tears came to a halt.

"I accept that you've done it and what it entails but couldn't you have waited till term started or school ended?" Her mother said as she began getting ingredients and pots ready for dinner.

"Because I want my last years of school to be comfortable and I wouldn't have an area to practice. A potion such as this takes time to make. And I don't think I could wait until the end of my school career. It's also best for you guys to get used to seeing me as a boy," Hermione said remaining calm after explaining yet again why she did it now.

"Okay, but you said yourself it was illegal! You never used to break the rules when you were younger. And you never had these thoughts. It is those Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley boys, right? They are always getting into trouble. They are obviously a bad influence on you."

"Mum we went over this yes I did. I just didn't think it was possible to be both. And if you're trying to start telling who I can be friends with..." Hermione said as she stopped helping to look at her mother warningly.

"No no of course not. I would never try to control you like that. Just stating an observation I've made. "

"They are both great. They are like my brothers. And you can't judge them from the few minutes you've met them before. I would never just stop being friends with them because they lack the ability to draw the line where the fun ends and trouble starts," she said more roughly than she had intended.

" Why haven't you changed yet? You have already taken the potion, right?" Her father asked in as much a conversational tone he could muster. "You don't look any different. I mean, presumably, you will be changing quite a bit, becoming taller and stuff?"

"I should imagine so. Yes," Hermione said as she faltered, almost letting them in on the fact she didn't know everything about it. She continued in a knowing tone before her parents could dwell on it. "These types of things take time to come into effect. The book mentions something along the lines of it happening once I go to sleep," she manoeuvred. "Once I do change, can you do me a favour? I need my hair to be cut. I wouldn't really feel like a boy unless my hair is shorter. It wouldn't make much sense for me to have to tie my hair up or wear a hat over it. Not that some guys don't have long hair but I'd rather not be a guy with long hair. "

"But what if it doesn't grow back when you're a girl. If that happens your hair wouldn't grow back by the start of school? I can't imagine when you're a girl you will want to have a boy's haircut," Monica said with a small laugh.

"You needn't worry about that. The potion makes it so that any changes on one body doesn't transfer to the other unless it's like a bruise or the subject, me, wants a change to transfer," she said as she flashed her mother an award-winning smile as she started helping her mother cook.

"It seems like she learned all she could about this potion," said Michael from the cupboard his head was currently stuck in. "What do you expect, Darling? This is Hermione!"

After that eventful dinner ended, the family made quick work of cleaning the kitchen, washing the dishes, and putting up leftovers. When Hermione finished, she excused herself and left for her room. She needed to prepare the tools and equipment needed to measure twilight.

Her parents thought it would be best if she didn't tell anyone; however, Hermione disagreed. She couldn't keep this big a change from her brothers, Harry and Ron. They've been together for five years already. If she couldn't tell them this what was the point of having people to confide in. And Ms. McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey would have to know, too, encase she got hurt.

When she got to her room she knelt down in front of her bed and pulled out a large black case. She silently unclipped the buckles that held the items inside secure. She diligently lifted the lid to reveal a set of delicately carved crystal rods and disks. Each one cut to perfection, needed for the precise measurements of the alignment of the moon and Mars, thousands of miles away. She removed what was to an uneducated person to be a pewter telescope, when in fact it was the exact opposite. It was used to allow the moon to be meticulously located on a chart as a tiny circle of light. She could see it moving into position very slowly.

She adjusted the astrological chart on her floor and used a compass so it was at the exact angle to true north. Her hair frizzed in anticipation for the flash that would change her life, even though there were still several hours left. She busied herself by pulling out a pencil case inside one of her drawers specifically for math-related things and withdrew a dozen different rulers, protractors, and compasses. She started sketching marks and lines across the paper until she had an incredibly detailed chart a half-hour later, and one small dot that marked where the special moonlight would need to fall.

Once she finished, she set about getting out the changeling essence. It was the hardest thing she had to get; not even second to Chimera essence. She not only had to venture into Knockturn Alley but the shop she entered was only used by dark wizards. It was one of the times her intellect felt more like a gift than a curse. It also helped her parents were still naive about the dangers involved. If they truly understood, she wouldn't be here waiting for her potion. She measured out the exact amount needed, to the drop. It was a translucent blue colour, almost electric and it held a miscellaneous candy odour. It wasn't lethal but if not taken in a potion it will permanently change your species into the organism it was taken from. Its consistency was that of water, almost lighter. Its texture was that of silk, harder to hold than even water. The clerk said that unless poured correctly it wouldn't come out of its container, so the likely chances of spilling were infinitesimal.

It was still several hours before it was time to add the last ingredient. Hermione's parents almost came to check on her twice but decided against it. They were curious about whether the transformation took place but decided to wait till Hermione came to them. Hermione spent a couple of hours writing a reply to Harry's letter. She made sure she remembered to mail a phone and envelope with the letter. She had spent almost 2,000 on the two phones for her and Harry but she knew that this would be important to him. After Hedwig left, she decided to go to take a nap. The moment of true twilight wouldn't happen until about one o'clock, so she had plenty of time. She also figured that if she slept now she wouldn't have to sleep nearly as much later, and she won't be as tired. She did not want to waste valuable time sleeping.

In order to check how much further along the dot of moonlight was to the pinpoint location on the chart, she set her alarm to go off at half-hour intervals. About the seventh time she woke up, she saw that only five minutes left until the moonlight hit. Her parents have gone to sleep. The quiet, darkness of the house meant that they have been asleep for quite some time.

She waited excitedly for the last few minutes to tick by. Clammy hands handled the vial of changeling essence. She slowly knelt in front of the simmering cauldron, her knees on the soft carpet below. Two more minutes. As she moved the vial closer to the cauldron the changeling essence started changing colour from an electric blue to emerald green like one the closeness changed the chemical composition of the liquid. She turned back to the chart where only three millimetres separating the two minutes. Less than a minute now. She drew out a small magnifying glass before lowering it and peering closely with one eye.

Just four millimetres. She was confident of her skills, this was going to work out perfectly. She was almost shaking with joy at the future prospects. Three millimetres. This is going to be great, and according to the book, the differences between the bodies could be huge if spent enough time in them. Two millimetres. Everything was dependent on the accuracy and balance of her calculations like if the pencil to draw the lines was dull, or not sharpened correctly, and she would get the wrong time. One millimetre. She wasn't actually nervous; she thought she should be, but the excitement for the next phase of her life overwhelmed it. She thought as she tilted the vial and said goodbye to having only one to choose. One day now. The rest of her life later. The moon was on the fifth and vial was emptied. Hermione looked away from the chart to the final ingredient which she was pouring. It was falling, sliding down almost like molasses; like it was falling in slow motion. It seemed to move as if gravity had no hold over it as it sludged toward the mixture below. It lubricated the air towards the simmering surface and Hermione cast a quick look up at the spectacular full moon.

She had never seen a moon like it. Normally a full moon was just that a full moon but not this one; it was nothing like all the others. She only saw it for a second, but it was already implanted into her mind. The sky was cloudless and the stars were glistening. No part of the moon couldn't be seen, like the way it was darker in some areas than it was in others. A distorted face looking down at her. It had a small ring of darkness that surrounded the luminous disk. She felt like she could even see the original moon landing point

Splashes from the task in front of her returned her to reality. She saw the potion bubbling aggressively. The shock waves spread out from the centre a veil of darkness seemed to be pulled across it as it shifted from its bright colour into what appeared to be coal tar. A second later, a second wave from the centre washed it away like a film covering. It was replaced by the most violent shade of yellow she had ever seen. It was like looking at the sun itself, without the certainty of becoming blind. The light from the potion washed over her and gave the room a bright glow. It fills Hermione with euphoria. The colour slowly started to fade after a few seconds. Like colours fade in the sun or wet paint washes away in the rain. A gunshot-like sound erupted from the concoction causing droplets to spill over the boundaries. The noise was sure to wake her parents. A large plume of smoke rose up into the air and sunk down to the ground where it spread like early morning mist. The potion was completed.


	2. New Man

Hermione stared in wonder at her creation. She slaved away for months and now it was complete. It was almost a divine beauty. It is a shame to drink something that took so much time, care and devotion. Almost. She didn't spend all that time not to drink it. Hermione knew her parents were going to wake up soon from that loud bang. So she drained the required amount into a vial and poured the rest into a potion bottle. She heard a thump from down the hallway.

Her parents were getting up. She moved around her room putting things away. They were accepting of her experiments but that's mainly due to the fact they've never seen her make one. She cast a stasis charm on the potion bottle. She put it on one of her still empty bookshelves. She made sure to put away all of her notes and things. She heard them right outside her room. She brought the vial to her lips.

She opened her mouth and tilted her head back as the potion trickled down her throat. It tasted like pure bitterness. Pure bitterness itself. However, it didn't taste horrible. It was pleasant in a way that didn't make complete sense. It certainly wasn't something she wanted to taste again. The texture, nevertheless, was pleasant. It was cooling her mouth yet as it reached her stomach it seemed warm her insides like butterbeer or hot drink on a cold day. It had a refreshing oily feel and gave her mouth a thin coating that made her whole mouth feel wonderful.

Just as she finished, her door swung open. Her parents were standing in the doorway. They most likely could not see much though due to the fact it was so dark, the moonlight dimming no longer shining in glory. All her thoughts were suddenly snapped from this, however, by something much more pressing. There were spikes in her stomach that dulled then erupted into flaming daggers that worked their way up through her. She shot up from her spot on the floor and flew toward the door. Her parents flicked on the lights just in time to see a blur of Hermione charge toward them before she barrelled past them, down into the corridor where she locked herself into the bathroom.

She fell onto the floor; her stomach aching. She had never felt this horrible before. She felt horrendous as waves of nausea passed over her. The daggers moved further across her body. It reached her toes making her feel as though she was burning. She could feel it in her veins, changing them. It felt like her blood was pure venom burning its way through her. It was so dreadful she couldn't even scream.

She convulsed as the pain faded. "I will definitely have to create a quick numbing potion in the morning if the pain hasn't yet faded," she mumbled to herself. Another thought crossed her mind at that moment. The book said it would be uncomfortable but it didn't say something like this would happen. It never explained that pain would be so horrible after taking the potion. If she couldn't recall any potions having that severe a reaction when taken. Unless it was a pain potion or something. She never wanted to have that experience again. She was almost worried she did the potion wrong but she knew better than to doubt herself.

She wobbly pulled herself to her feet when she gained a semblance of control of her body. She walked over to the sink and splashed water into her face. She would never not take the potion but she would hesitate a lot more if she knew the pain it caused. She was brought back to reality by her parents knocking on the door. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" Monica asked worriedly. "Just a second," she called to them. She adjusted herself, dried her face and tied her hair away from her face. She unlocked the door and slowly pulled it open to find both her parents looking at her. There was a long silence in which no one talked. Hermione stood there being surveyed by her parents. She looked them over completely for the first time that night. They looked tired and had black marks under their eyes. She guessed she looked the same, maybe even worse.

"What?" Hermione eventually asked. She was used to people staring at her, being friends with Harry and all, when they think you can't see them but it was another thing to have her parents do it. "Well it's just that…" her mother began, trying to find the right words. In theory, it was obvious what was different, yet Hermione's cloudy mind had other plans. "You're a boy or you at least you appear to be," Michael said rather lamely as he examined his child thoughtfully. The intricate system that was Hermione's mind slowly started firing pistons and sliding cogs into place where they started turning. Eventually, her mind wound back into its usual fast pace.

"Just one second," he said as he stepped back into the excited, excited, closing the door. He took a few large steps backwards and turned to come face to face with the mirror. Who looked back wasn't what he was expecting. He wasn't surprised to see himself. In fact, he felt wonderful.

He realized he had already started thinking of himself as a guy. He already had on some days but that was without the added benefits of looking like a guy. He also felt joy knowing that after today he didn't have to choose just one gender.

He started to study himself in the mirror more intensively. He actually looked very similar to how he usually did. His tied-up hair was still messy and a bit bushy. His eyes, the same colour. He leaned forward his nose starting to touch the glass. He noticed that the only striking difference was that of his chin. Where it used to be a typical chin that belonged to a girl, it now has a dimple that she recognized as belonging to people like Harry and Remus. His face was clearly that of a guy but only in the way that he no longer looked like Hermione.

Speaking of which he needs a name. He'll still be Hermione on his feminine feeling days but he needs a name for his masculine body. Hermione Jean Grant Granger. He always liked the name, Dominic. And Jean sounds almost too girly, and he didn't want to steal Harry's middle name, maybe Corbin. Not for any particular reason he just liked the name. Its settled masculine name will be Dominic Corbin Grant Granger. A flash shined throughout the room, blinding him for a moment. "Weird," he thought, quickly going back to his other thoughts. The flash was already forgotten in his excitement.

Eventually, Dominic couldn't resist his curiosity and looked down. For the first time in a few years, he could see his feet without having to lean forward. His hands pushed up his satin pyjama shirt. Flat! Plain! Just as the potion said it'd be. "It really worked. I mean I thought it would but this is the real evidence," he said as he stopped massaging his muscular chest having not realized he had even started. His night clothes still fit surprisingly well; actually looking and feeling the same way against him. One more thing to check. He knew about as much about them as one without one previously could, but it was one thing to know about them and to have one yourself. He also saw one plenty of times with Harry and Ron frequently forgetting he was in the room or just that he didn't have one. Not that he blamed he forgot, too, sometimes. He'd always wondered what it would be like to have one even on his fully feminine days. He carefully reached down and stretched out the elastic of his pyjama bottoms.

"Wow," was all he could manage. He had always wondered what one up close looked like. He kind of liked the way he looked, it certainly was not as ugly as some pre-circumcision ones could be. He heard a few hushed discussions from some of the seventh year girls about ones that looked like a sock or just unpleasant to look at, and this is coming from slags so they must be ugly. Pavarti had bought some in a naughty magazine once, but he'd never been one to just look up pictures. He usually was pretty good at using his imagination, not that he did that often. It wasn't really important but at least now he would know the intricacies of the main sex organs. He certainly wouldn't disappoint anyone later on.

He stood there for a minute just checking himself over, noticing that the fat he usually had was gone and replaced by a more lean frame with slightly more muscle. He knew that technically males were stronger than females physically but to actually see it was another thing.

He adjusted himself for the second time that night and slid open the door. Dominic looked at his parents and happily said, "Yes, I am currently male." He moved past them and went back to his bedroom. He wanted to avoid a late-night interrogation. However excited he was, he just felt something that was the equivalent of a crucio charm and he was dead tired. Right now few things seemed more enticing than the thought of going back to sleep. "Not quite yet young lady...man?" Michael said stern voice momentarily slipping into uncertainty. "There are a few questions we have. For a start, what was that loud bang? I certainly don't recall you saying anything about explosions." Dominic stared at his father. His father was well educated in matters pertaining to muggle related things but wasn't as well versed in anything magic related. This meant it would be very easy to lie to him.

"Honestly Daddy," he said in a voice which was very similar to his usual, if not a bit deeper. He realized it might sound weird to other people he still called his father Daddy but he didn't care he always has and he wasn't going to stop now. Whether he was in his male body or female body most of his day to day speaking would remain the same. Though he may have to change up some things when speaking to people that weren't in the know. "Haven't you ever seen the films? You know one-minute things are one way, then there is a puff of smoke and poof! It's changed, replaced by something else or just gone." Her parents exchanged curiously suspicious glances. "That wasn't a poof! It sounded more like a cannon going off." Dominic rolled his eyes so as to appear exasperated. He had always had an uncanny ability to hide what was truly passing through his brain.

"Well, I was asleep at the time. I didn't hear it so I couldn't tell you any differently. Anything else you'd like to ask?" He lied skillfully. "Yes, actually. Why is it that you still seem so, Hermione like?" Her mother asked as she surveyed Dominic, who was indeed the exact same height he normally was. "Honestly. Must I explain everything to you guys?" He said taking the I'm-tired-of-explaining-things-to-you approach. "The potion works slowly after the initial change. That's why it takes a day, the body has to get used to it so it can function properly. During the first day whatever is done affects the way the male body grows. If I eat purely junk food I would gain weight a lot more quickly, if I exercise frequently I'd be a to gain muscle more easily, or if I just stood around all day I might have the possibility of getting taller. It's so because I didn't grow up as a boy I'll need help catching up with the other boys. After the first twenty-four hours, it slows down. Not that it's really noticeable unless you're looking for it. Anyway, I am fine, thanks. You needn't trouble yourselves. I will be going to bed now and I will be up early tomorrow morning so don't you try and sleep late," he said already walking away. He always took pleasure in telling his parents what to do. He usually did it when he knew they'd didn't have the option of refusal. A true rare pleasure.

Dominic awoke the next morning at 6:45 a.m. as his digital alarm clock rang, the sound hated and despised by many. Not Dominic, however, today he loved that sound. His arm shot out of the covers swiftly shutting it off before it could go into its second ring. Today was the day. He sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes, stretching. He almost didn't get out of bed when he felt a near overpowering urge to slide back under the covers and sleep for a few more minutes. "Must be a testosterone thing," he thought, almost giggling out loud that his body was currently producing testosterone conducive to that of a teenage boy. He walked over to his curtains and pulled them open. Just as the forecast predicted. Great wonderful sunshine.

Just as he had hoped. Heavy rain would have hindered today's plans somewhat. His plans were as follows: go into town and buy a few things, go to the local swimming pool, lunch, and anything else he could think of during that time. He knew these things would be more fun to do with some friends, but he kind of wanted to see the world without them nearby. Maybe later, Harry did have his number.

He'd see how today goes. Sure, Dominic could go see him but he wanted to give Harry time to adjust to the new information and read the letters if he hadn't already. He could also hang out with a few guys from the local muggle school. He would be hanging out with people that didn't know that he sometimes felt like a girl and that he was one yesterday. Not that he was ashamed, but he didn't really feel like explaining it to another person that he probably wouldn't meet again. It also had the added benefits of figuring teenage boys behaviour. He always could just act like himself, but that would get weird looks and he never did like being stared at.

Dominic carefully shed his clothes and stood in front of his mirror admiring himself for a few minutes. He wasn't vain not by a long shot but he just wanted to soak up his body in all its male glory before he grew numb to it, though he doubted it. On his feminine days, he'd stand in the mirror and admire himself for a few minutes as well. He moved to his wardrobe, going to the half that was filled with masculine clothing; having expanded it to fit more clothes. He might've gone a bit overboard with the new clothes but he didn't want to not have a variety of clothes. The outfit he'd chosen several weeks ago hung on a hook on the left-hand door. It looked like a two-dimensional person with no hands or head. He started first with his new socks. He had a wide selection but today he was going with one of his black socks, they fit the outfit the most. Maybe later he'd feel more confident and wear the ones with patterns and pictures of things he liked.

After some internal debate, he chose a pair of plain black socks that reached his ankles. The most boring socks known to man but he didn't feel particularly adventurous today. He carefully pulled on his socks. It was almost like a reverse striptease, in which the desired effect was to end up fully clothed. Next, he took the plain white t-shirt that would hug his torso in all the places a boy would want. He put his arms through it and held them up so it slid down over his body. He had never been able to do that before!

Finally the good part. He excitedly reached out and touched the fabric of the underwear. It was rougher than he thought it would be but not in a way that would be uncomfortable. The underwear was loose enough that if need be he could take his out but tight enough that a button wasn't required. He caught himself wondering why a button in the front and not zipper so things wouldn't fall out the gap. Not even a second after that thought crossed his mind did his mind give him an answer, a zip could be very painful if things got in the way.

Dominic carefully slid them on, holding them with the lightest touch as though they were made of wax paper; relishing in the feeling of putting them on for the first time, while Dominic. He had worn handmade packers before so he knew it could get in the way. It was a different thing to make one than to have one attached to your body. He shifted it around finding a more comfortable position. It was in these moments he's glad he had prior experience or else he'd have no clue what he was doing. He returned to the final item of clothing. The trousers. They were not an exceptionally special pair, but they certainly were not as fitting as female pants tend to be. Although it doesn't hurt to mention the pockets are larger. He might have worn a packer before but that was in the comfort of his own house; he's never worn one outside nor has he ever worn male trousers. He might have had some trouble buttoning and mastering the back-to-front button. Nevertheless, they felt good against his skin.

Once he was clothed, he sat down on the bed for a moment and mused. He knew why guys spread their legs apart, having experienced it when he wore a packer, but it's one thing to have a substitute and another to have the real thing. He looked down and saw that he was already in the sitting position that would be most comfortable, his legs slightly spread apart.

He felt his hair. "I definitely need that haircut," he thought to himself. Even after a long rest, his hair was still long and bushy. It fell past his shoulders. He knew that he wouldn't be judged badly if he kept his hair long but didn't really want that long and there is a possibility he might get mistaken for a girl, even after the potion, if he kept it long.

Quarter past seven. That seemed like an acceptable time to wake up. He did recall telling his parents to be up bright and early. And he'd be mad at himself if he lets them sleep much longer. That's what he told himself at least. He walked out of his bedroom and moved to knock on his parents' room that was down the hall. Once he reached their door, he sharply rapped on her parents' bedroom door. "Mum, Dad, get up! It is really late!" He said as he leaned against the wall impatiently. He heard a loud groan and a minute later his father emerged looking groggily at him, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know what time you get up at school but this isn't late. It's an ungodly hour that is what it is."

After a debate (drunken tired debate) with his father, Dominic found himself downstairs in the kitchen bouncing excitedly as his parents slowly trudged down the stairs. "Come on, let's get a move on and stop wasting my time. I wasn't ready to go early, so I need to get this done fast. I can only make the most of my day if I leave early," he said as this was an obvious fact. Once they were standing in front of him, he directed them to their jobs. "Father, cut my hair," he demanded as he pointed at his hair. "Mother, make me food," he added as he rounded on his mother. "You will never get a date if you are like that," Monica said tartly as she walked into the kitchen and took out some cereals. "You managed," Michael said quietly, but not quite quiet enough. He got a swift elbow to the gut that left him winded.

"You...knocked...the...the...wind out of...me," he said crumbled on the kitchen floor. He wobbly got up from his place on the ground to get some hair cutting scissors and a chair. As Dominic sat down with an old shirt buttoned over his t-shirt his father looked at him sceptically. "You sure you want me to cut your hair? What if your hair doesn't grow back once you switch?"

Dominic smiled, "It'll grow back." He was rather nonchalant about the possibility of not growing his hair back. "And even if it doesn't, I know how to make a hair growing potion."

"Yeah, I guess after something like that, hair must be pretty easy. Now, how do you want your hair? Keep in mind I'm no hairdresser," he said as he ran his finger through Dominic's messy hair. "Don't worry it'll be something simple. First, you'll need to get your electric razor. I'm gonna talk to you through this," he said calmly. After his father hesitated Dominic said, "Come off it, it can't be harder than fiddling with people's teeth." At this, his dad left to go get the electric razor as told.

Ten minutes later, Dominic was standing looking at his reflection in the mirror. What looked back at looked back, although alien, was a boyishly handsome teen. Before, with his hair and baggy clothes he could pass as Hermione. Now, the transformation was complete. He was able to guide his father correctly. He reached where his hair usually would have been. There was just air. Although he liked it, it seemed so weird; he had liked his long hair even on his masculine days so to have it gone was surreal. Without it, his shoulders seemed all the more pronounced now that they were no longer competing with a large amount of hair.

Although significantly shorter, he was able to maintain his signature bushy hair that could pass as curly. Due to the lack of weight holding it down like usual, it now messy mop on his head. Whilst this was messy, according to switch weekly, it was very fashionable. That's why he chose this haircut. Granted he didn't know for sure how his hair would react but he did select this specific cut. He very much doubted his father knew this particular cut was in style. Unless, of course, he has snuck into his room while he was asleep, and read through his magazines in an attempt to make himself seem as though he was the pinnacle of fashion. In which case, he had some serious issues.

"Looking trendy?" Michael asked hopefully. Dominic turned to him for a minute and handed him the shirt with hairs all over it. "Dad, you wouldn't know trendy if it came up and bit you, which considering your line of work is quite likely." "Young man, you can't speak to your father like that," said his mother who had appeared behind him. "Back when we were in school, I'll have you know your father was…" "No, there is no point in lying. I was always unfashionable," Michael sulked. "Weren't you in a hurry. Go eat some breakfast or something," he added in an attempt to change the conversation. "I poured you some cocoa rice Krispies," Monica said as she went back to the kitchen with Dominic following her.

Dominic walked out into the hot summer's morning. A little dampness was still clinging to the air, but over the next half hour, it would have evaporated. He stretched out, covering his eyes as light shine in them. It was a few streets walk into town, so it would most likely take him about twenty minutes. He had a rucksack slung over his shoulder. Usually, it held books and notes, it now held only a towel, his new phone and a pair of swim shorts. Bare chests all the way! No bikini to be found in this bag. Just shorts.

The town could only be described as old. Had been around for a couple hundred years and had a sort of atmospheric mould that started to emerge. All the newer structures were built by the high street where the old post office and haberdasheries, or stores that sell things for sewing, had been. Now all that was left were a few newsagents and a toy shop. There was still a shop for fat people that went out of use awhile ago. The clothes inside not fitting thin people and fat people being too embarrassed to enter. If they went it was like admitting and accepting they were fat. Dominic made his way past this shop and continued to walk over to a confectionery. He wanted some chocolate and knew exactly what kind. He walked in and searched for a minute before finding what he wanted. He carried the forbidden item carefully in his hands as he made his way up to the counter where a man was sitting. When you have two parents as dentists, treats that were not fruit were nonexistent. So to buy something from this kind of store was a surefire way to get a lecture. He, however, wasn't going to ruin the day as a real boy by following rules; Harry and Ron would be so proud. He slammed the chocolate bar down and said in a surprisingly deep voice, "Yorkie please, mate!"

The man didn't look at him with any interest. Usually whenever he went out people tended to study him. They looked at his chest and butt, not caring that he could clearly see them do it. The only people that didn't were his brothers and even then Ron did it a couple of times, Neville wasn't as much a saint either. It was refreshing to not deal with that. The clerk punched a few keys into the cash register. "That'll be forty‐four p, please." Dominic handed over the correct amount and left, a chocolate bar in hand, feeling proud of himself. He was surprisingly hungry having only had breakfast half an hour ago, so he unwrapped it and ate it as he walked.

Next, he went to the pharmacy. He needed to pick up a few things. Whilst magicals knew lots of things, hair care wasn't one of them. The muggle stuff was so much better. He walked over to the left-hand side of the store and scouted for his favourite brand. He said muggles had the best hair products, he never said it was in the men's section. He had tried some of the best men's section hair products and non worked better than the ones in the women's section. He found the products he was looking for; the ones that are mislaniuse are the best.

He looked around and noticed a few other things he'd like. As he approached the counter, he noticed a boy his age manning the register. Probably a summer job he thought to himself as he dropped all the stuff in front of him. The other boy looked down at the items, then back at Dominic. "You do realize this is girls' stuff, don't you?" He said as he eyed him up. Usually, he'd blush at being caught but just lied and said casually, "It's stuff for my girlfriend.

We don't got a problem, do we?" Draco may be a git but he knows a thing or two on how to get people to leave you alone. Something as weird as a sixteen-year-old buying feminine products are overlooked when they act tough. Who cares that it's not typical behaviour?

But this guy decided he was gonna act "tough" too. "Why can't she get it herself?" The boy asked frowning. Dominic scoffed looking at the boy like he couldn't believe him. "Because she can't go to the store if she's laying on my bed exhausted after getting ploughed." The silence was almost humorous as the boy took in what Dominic said. He knew the boy wasn't doubting his words. No boy no matter how talented could lie about that sort of thing and be confident enough. Unless of course, your Dominic and have seen many a girl naked from changing in the locker room. But just to drive it through Dominic said, "Maybe after I got this shit, she'll be ready for round three." "Bloody hell bruv. But yeah I know what you mean," he said smugly. Dominic was right. He was completely despicable yet unquestionably shallow. "You're not bad you know, for a shorty. How old are you?" He asked. "Sixteen," Dominic responded. "Hey, how come I haven't you round school then? You a drop out or something?" Dominic was highly insulted by the thought of something thinking that he, Dominic Granger was a dropout. "No, I go to a boarding school. Damn parents," he said stopping, no need to dig himself into a hole. The boy smiled, "Yeah I know what you mean. Parents can be such a drag sometimes. So what school do you go to?" What was that name did the Dudleys' say Harry went to. "Oh, it was St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys."

"Wow? Really? I have heard of that place before. Apparently, it is the number one school for criminal boys. You need to be really bad to get sent there. What did you do?" He asked excitedly. Dominic was glad the boy didn't notice his use of past tense. Not missing a beat, he knew just the right thing that would warrant a one way trip to this school. And it was just funny enough to be believable. "Set fire to an old hag." The guy was obviously impressed. "Wow! Damn, I wish you went to my school. My teacher could do with being set fire to. In fact, he has such bad eyesight you could probably just sneak into class and do it and he wouldn't notice anything until he was half roasted."

"What's your name? It isn't every day I meet a guy as cool as you." Dominic grinned widely. This boy would be the first to hear his masculine name. His grin turned predatory. He was going to continue messing with this boy, it would be fun. "It's Dominic. Dominic Grant." When he felt like Hermione he was a bookworm with obsessive tendencies, logical, close-minded and blunt. He was still very much the same person but the chemicals made certain portions of his personality muted and others heighten. For example, he still thought very logically but in a different way, he wasn't as close-minded, and although intimidation skills as a girl were on par, his intimidation skills got meaner almost just for the sake of it. He could feel himself rejoicing in the decision to torment this guy. He thought it was weird but he noticed that it wasn't impossible to override first instincts. However, it would be fun to mess with him. Maybe it was a testosterone thing, maybe it was from the effects of no longer being tied to one gender and a strong want to be free.

"Hey, Dominic. I'm Max Aytrara. I finish work at twelve. I'm going down to the pool with some of my friends. You want to come along? I'm sure they would like to meet you," he said trying to sound cool but blushing slightly. Dominic knew why but just responded in kind. "I was planning on heading there today anyway. Bye Max, wouldn't want to keep a lady waiting," he said, implying that he would be just keeping this imaginary girl waiting if it meant spending more time with Max. "Oh right. I forgot about that. Still, if you want…" he said leaning forward and lowering his voice despite the fact that the store was utterly deserted besides them. "I can introduce you to some girls later. Anyway here's your stuff," he said as he packed it into a bag. Dominic leaned forward and looked intently at Max. "I might just take you up on that offer. Got any similar offers?" Dominic said implying something that made Max blush once again. He handed Max the money and made his way out, not waiting for a response.

He emerged from the shop feeling thirsty, and not just that kind. The shop was more than stuffy enough to make him feel like he needed something to drink. The lack of breeze made it even more prevalent. The air was still and as the sun now high in the sky it beamed down on him. He seriously regretted not bringing his suntan lotion. He couldn't have decided on a better day to go swimming. He was never self-conscious about his body at least not in the way one might originally think. Sure he knew guys stared at his chest but he was rather disconnected with things like that. Girls have caught guys looking at their chests multiple times. Harry and Ron didn't do it much only when they had first met and they didn't really see her as a person. Snape probably didn't even swing their way, and possibly Neville. He definitely wasn't straight but his eyes did tend to wander to the chests of girls now he wasn't as nervous around people, not Snape.

It was around 9:30 now. Max and his buddies wouldn't go swimming for several more hours. Dominic didn't want to go to the pool just yet. Maybe he could visit his parents for a bit and drop off his stuff. When he did decide to go, he didn't want loads of unnecessary things with him.

Half an hour later, he walked into his house. His parents were sitting in the back of the house, in the garden, sunbathing on deck chairs. Unheard of. They were in England sunbathing might as well have not existed. They only noticed him when he cast a shadow over them. "What are you doing back so soon?" Asked Michael as he studied him over his glasses. "Is something wrong?" "No, nothing's wrong. I just haven't got anything to do for now and I'm hungry," Dominic said standing there. Usually, his mother would mutter something and get up to help make him some food, not this time though she just continued to sip on her cider and ignore outside stimulation. Dominic went into the house and ran upstairs to set down his items. When he was back downstairs he looked in the refrigerator for something to eat. He pulled out a head of lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, and cheese. Things like cheese were a rare product in his family. With both his parents being dentists, they usually tended to only eat foods that came from the ground.

He, then, went to the pantry and pulled out a loaf of uncut bread. His parents also didn't really like store brand things. If they got it was mostly some obscure brand or like the organic of organic foods. He cut the loaf into semi-thick slices using a bread knife. When he was finally done making his sandwich he set it down on a plate and went to the kitchen table to eat it. Before he could take a bite his father came in and sat in front of him. He gestures for Dominic to put his snack down and studied him under his sunglasses. "It's time," he said, "for me to tell you what I should have told you this morning, Hermione." Dominic cut him off before he could continue, "Dominic." "What?" "Sorry I forgot I didn't tell you and mum. When I'm a boy my name is Dominic. It's okay if you mess up a couple of times just don't make a big deal of it." "Alright, Dominic. I have something I should have told you this morning. I am going to tell you everything." Dominic was definitely confused, what was so important that his dad felt such a need to tell him in such a serious matter while brushing over the fact he had just been told his child's masculine name. Dominic looked back at his father with one eyebrow raised. "What?" Instead of answering Michael got up and went to a cupboard by the oven. He reached forward to pull something out. He leaned in a bit more and his arm up to his shoulder disappeared. With a disgruntled look, his head followed. Dominic was even more confused, he knew of magically expanded spaces, he even studied them in length, but the only way for his dad to have one was for Dominic to charm it and Dominic was certain he didn't. A minute later, he emerged from the cupboard that appeared to be trying to eat him with something in his grasp. Dominic clasped his hands over his mouth to stop the gasp that was threatening him to be let out. Cheesy puffs. His dad was holding a bag of cheesy puffs.


	3. New Friends

"Why have you got cheesy puffs?" Dominic eventually asked. Sure, he knew his parents weren't the saints he believed them to be but it was something else to see it. It also didn't help that his father wouldn't have shone him these things if he wasn't currently a boy. He couldn't tell if that was sexist or not.

"Well, Dominic, when you're married to someone like your mother snacking is nonexistent. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier but you were just like your mum in that if it wasn't mealtime you didn't eat and it never seemed to bother you. But now you understand the struggle of only eating when told," Michael said as he opened the multipack of cheesy Puffs and gave the smaller ones to Dominic.

"I get that but why not just talk to Mum about it. She's not completely irrational," Dominic asked. "Clearly you have not met your mother. I would not have spent nearly seventeen years constantly hungry if I thought that was an option." Without much fanfare, he tore open the packet and began pouring its contents into his mouth as though he were a starving man.

Dominic decided he was going to ignore his father and got up from his seat and got some juice, organically made of course. Once he was back in his seat he opened his own packet and poured it onto his plate. He could still hear his father chomping away. He ate slowly and meticulously. Just because this was his first time having this common snack he wasn't loony.

His father reached into the cupboard saying, "That cheesy treat is not all I got." "That's all well and good but…" Dominic cut himself when he saw his father pull out two pot noodles, one in each hand.

"Okay… as I was saying you should take better care of your health. Now I know why you know mum wouldn't allow this behaviour. It's all junk foods," Dominic continued once he got his bearings. Michael didn't respond as he flipped on the kettle and rubbed his hands in excitement. Dominic sighed as he continued to eat his food. He understands why his father is acting the way he is but unless he can explain to Mum why it's going to get tricky.

"I'm aware but I don't know really. I'm just sick of bloody sandwiches. I need something dirty. Something not healthy," Michael said ripping the tops off the noodles. The kettle was starting to boil. Dominic decided he wasn't going to eat one yet. He could save it for later he didn't want to ruin his appetite, and he told his father so.

His father nodded in acknowledgement and lifted the kettle off its stand. He carefully poured out the needed amount of water. He gave his a quick stir having put Dominic's back in the cupboard. Dominic could tell his father had some problems. Michael had a spoon positioned between the pot and himself, which were only an inch apart at most. He had mastered the skill of moving the spoon backwards and forwards between the two so the food was in a more continuous flow. Dominic was astonished. He has obviously done this multiple times to acquire such a skill.

Michael reclaimed his seat in front of his son and tilted his head back chewing like a wild dog. This was almost certainly not a sight for children. Dominic had finished his food and went to the sink to start washing his dish. As he finished he heard his mother getting out of her seat. His father had just finished his pot noodles and she walked into the kitchen. He motioned his father to throw him the package before she took in the situation.

Monica didn't see anything except her husband sitting talking to his son, who was washing dishes. "Hi, Darling," she said leaning down to kiss her husband. She moved to Dominic and asked, "Did you eat, Hermione?" Dominic cringed that name was getting harder to hear as the day went by. "Yeah Daddy and I had a snack and a nice conversation," Dominic answered. "If it's okay could you call Dominic when I'm a boy?" He said feeling uncertain for the first time that day. He knew his mother would accept but she was the one that chose his feminine name. What is she was crushed that he wanted to have a different one sometimes? What if she started crying again because she thought he didn't like his name? His mother stopped his pessimist train thought by saying, "Of course sweetheart. That's a wonderful name." Dominic blew a sigh of relief. He knew his father wouldn't mind which is why he figured neither made a big deal of it but this is his mother.

Dominic got up saying goodbye but before he left. He leaned down and looked at his father and said, "Talk to Mum about your junk food addiction. Or you will forever henceforth be referred to as Scum." He did wait for a reply and went to his room. He needed to brush his teeth, old habits die hard.

As he finished, he heard his parents talking voices slightly loud. It didn't sound serious his mum was just venting. He went past his parents yelling, "I'll be outside. Father's new name for the week is Scum for getting Mum to yell."

Five minutes later, Dominic was laying out on his father's chair sunbathing topless. No tops for this teen. Dominic's t-shirt lay discarded on his bag. He reached for a pineapple smoothie that his mother made (sugar-free) and took a drink from it. His mother tended to make random drinks when she felt Michael did something wrong and punish him by not allowing him to have any. Dominic muted his thoughts and continued to relax. He could the gentle wind blow across him. It was profound how the wind felt against his bare chest. Maybe if he can glamour himself he could do this but on his feminine days. Then he could relax like this on any day the weather is good.

After the pampering his caring mother gave him, it was an hour and a half later almost half-past eleven. If he wanted to be on time he'd have to leave. Because the swimming pool was the same distance away as the high street, even though the path to it was in another direction. Dominic decided to go. It'd be a lot more fun than doing nothing. Dominic pulled on his t-shirt, socks, and shoes. He had packed suntan lotion in with his towel and swimming trunks.

"I'm going to the swimming pool now, Mum. Okay," he said, stopping by the kitchen where his mother was sitting, reading the newspaper and drinking some coffee. "Don't you want to stay for lunch?" His mother asked as she got up from the table setting the paper down. "No, I have arranged to meet a few friends, so I need to get going now," Dominic said grinning. His mother frowned for a minute. "You don't have friends that live anywhere around here, do you? And wouldn't they, perhaps, find it a bit strange that you're now a boy?" She asked suspiciously. "No, it isn't anyone from school or anything. Just some new people I met in town this morning," Dominic answered truthfully.

"Okay, well, let me give you some money for food, get yourself some to eat," Monica said grabbing her handbag and starting to rummage around for her purse. "Oh, and one more thing, sweetheart," she said not looking to meet Dominic's eyes, handing him a five-pound note.

"What is it?" Dominic asked as he pocketed the money. "Don't try and take advantage of any girls." Dominic's bored face evolved into a grin at his mother's statement. "I have a question. Do you think I'd take advantage of some poor innocent lady?" "I'm just saying, Honey."

"Do take me as some sort of playboy?" Dominic asked. Not that I'm saying I'm not. He stood looking at his mother, still amused that his mum actually knew enough about him that he might do something like that. Monica was busying herself with other things as she replied bluntly, "You're a teenager that's hormones are everywhere. And is currently a handsome boy that can be a beautiful girl."

As amusing as this conversation was, it's absurd to have it so close to the trip. His mother must still find it weird, and since he wasn't trying to convince her he doesn't plan to take advantage of some cute pretty thing, this conversation was pointless. He knows that if it was Ron trying to turn himself into a girl, he'd think some less innocent things. He needed to leave right now, or he was going to be late.

It didn't matter if other boys weren't known to be punctual. He was and his body wouldn't change that. Also, he wanted to do some warm-ups, for it wouldn't do getting a cramp. He learned that although don't-swim-after-eating rule was bogus, it is still possible to cramp and not being able to orientate yourself, you drown. So, that extra few minutes could be used to be safe.

Dominic walked out of the front door leaving his unintentionally amusing mother inside. He's sure conversations like this will continue to happen. The potion was made to become part of the magical person's chemical makeup, so although it wouldn't be in his stomach, it would be impossible to get rid of said potion even with potion removal rituals. Twenty minutes later, Dominic arrived outside the swimming pool. By all means, it was not luxurious. Dominic had been several times before Hogwarts. It is a medium pool with only 2 diving boards of various heights and no slides. It was close enough to the local schools, and it was the sort of place everyone goes to on a hot summer's day. The water was relatively clean and that generally helped.

Dominic walked into the male changing rooms and was surprised to find that it was not all that different from the girls. He had heard many horror stories about the messes that tend to appear in one, and he was glad this one was untouched. It was a bit weird to walk into basically a bathroom and it not permanently occupying a league of gossiping teenagers. In fact, it was completely empty, something that actually disappointed him upon realizing. He set his bag down on one of the benches and began to undress. He diligently folded each article of clothing before sliding it into the bag. By the time he was finished and suited up, his bag had an immaculate pile of clothes that would have made an army sergeant blush. He walked over to one of the lockers and put in a fifty pence piece. He didn't have anything of value in his bag, but the things inside it held significant personal value. His first day as Dominic… The day they would look back on with fondness when they were older.

Dominic was leisurely walking out of the changing room but stopped in front of the mirror when a thought crossed his mind. Did girls know that some boys sucked in their guts? They would say they worked out but at the end of the day their stomachs would still stick out. They would suck in when a girl was looking but let it out once they got into the water. Dominic remembers seeing stomachs wobbling like lava lamps as skin flared in the water. The girls would pretend that they didn't see and the guys would pretend that they were thinner than they really were. Not that Dominic had to do that; his masculine body wasn't fat in any way. If he did that, he would probably look on like he was one skipped meal from dying.

It was random thoughts that made him question his sanity. Dominic shook his head clearing his head and moved to fix his hair. Once he finished, he strode out of the changing room and into the bright midday sun that washed over his body with an intense warmth that was almost unbearable for a few seconds. The summer breeze, though, had just present enough to keep the air cool and fresh. It transferred the distant smell of cut grass that unknown to many was actually the smell of chemical defences and a call for first aid.

There was a detectable taint of chlorine and chemicals that were used in swimming pools and it made the feeling of freedom Dominic has been feeling all day surge. He felt as though he could close his eyes and shed all thoughts of what would happen once he got back to school and everyone would know. It was almost possible to forget about Lord Moldywart and what he might do because here there was only the laughter and joy of people having fun. It was like the only thing he had to worry about the summer homework he had to turn in; homework he had already finished in the first week. It was hard to imagine anything bad happening.

There were flashes of the sun reflecting in his eyes as it bounced on the surface of the water, shooting off in various directions, only disrupted by the movement of people. The entire atmosphere was so natural, yet alien to him in a way that was almost overwhelming his senses. It was starting to get to him until he heard someone call his name. His masculine name.

"Dominic! Hey Nic, over here!" He heard a boy yelled as he came running toward him; he was jogging along the side of the pool from the other end. Dominic smirked as Max was cautioned by one of the lifeguards. Max after a brisk walk finally came to where he was standing.

"Nic?" Dominic asked not bothering to shield his eyes from the sun. Max nodded as he squinted although he had his back to the sun. "Yea, your name is hard to yell over and over again, so I decided to shorten it," he said obviously embarrassed. "Okay, whatever you can continue to call me it but only you," Dominic said triumphantly over making him blush. "I can't believe how sunny it is," Dominic said finally sharing his eyes. "Give it half an hour and this place will be jam-packed."

"I should have brought my sunglasses," he said, his eyes had started to water from facing the blazing sun. Max's expression was pensive for a moment. "I have some tinted swimming goggles that could help. I just bought them but maybe you could use them. You can wear them if you like. Even keep them if you want. I can just buy a new pair," Max said starting to ramble.

"That's splendid," Dominic said not really care it wasn't a terribly masculine phrase. Max looked confused for a moment. Dominic decided this was a perfect moment to continue messing with him. "You know how it is. Teachers try and make us say things like that at Saint Brutus'. I've gotten hit more than a few times with a crowbar for saying things like, fanbloodytastic!"

"Wow, they really use a crowbar? That must be nasty," he said, wincing at the thought of it. "Absolutely. But once you become head of a department, you can do the whipping. I'm head of Woodworks," Dominic said, not having any problem lying through his teeth. "It's definitely painful for some," he said milking this subject for all it's worth. "Oh right, yeah sure. If you don't want to talk about it's okay with me, man." Dominic grinned and said, "I said some not me; I love it. I'm going back in September." Max blushed once again. "Right, now come on. I'm bakin' over here. Let me introduce you to the others."

Dominic smiled and walked alongside Max following as he showed the way. Soon, Dominic found himself standing at the deep end of the pool. There were four other people: three girls, one boy, and including Max and himself, there were six of them.

"Hey guys, this is Dominic. One that I was telling you about. He set an old lady on fire!" Max said as though bragging that he met him first. A collective "wow" came from everyone as they stared up at him in awe. Dominic was considering getting into the water but before he could decide he felt a hand on his shoulder. Before his conscience mind knew what was happening he was moving to grab the hand push the person attached to it in front of him and consequently into the pull it was trying to push him into. The hand turned out to belong to Max, who narrowly avoided hitting a fatter man with his arm as he flew into the pool.

He spluttered as he surfaced and rubbed the water out of his eyes the best he could. Dominic chuckled as he realized what Max was trying to do. "Nice try, mate. But I didn't survive in Saint Brutus's because I didn't watch my back," Dominic partially lied. Hogwarts wasn't always the nicest place nor was his old primary school; he had learned how to defend himself long ago not that anyone knew.

The group laughed alongside Dominic at Max's expense. Dominic opted for a more stylish entry which consisted of him simply walking into the water without preamble. He eventually came to float and then moved to Max. Both glad the water was nice and cool whilst not being too cold which would have sucked considering their entrances.

Max put an arm around Dominic saying, "That was wicked, man. Anyway, I still need to introduce them to you." He pointed to each of the people in time. "Annabelle likes to go by Anna. Jessica likes to go by Jess. Melissa likes to go by Liz. Joshua nicknamed Josh." He said this information extremely quickly and if it was for Dominic's aptitude for listening to teachers he might not have heard what was said. He, however, was slightly distracted by the looks he was receiving from one of the girls.

Dominic didn't need to be feeling feminine to know what her look meant, the look was definitely more than just a simple observation. The only word that could appropriately describe the look he was receiving was lust. The girl was tough to make out due to the fact that all but her shoulders and head were submerged underwater. Her hair was probably quite straight because it clung to her head when wet. It was also a shade of blonde, although again the water was probably making it appear darker. Through the rippling water, he could make out that she had a trim body and obviously watched what she ate, but then again most girls did these days.

"So, let's play a game of chicken or something shall we?" asked Josh. Not that Dominic has once said his name it usually being: oy or mate. "It's been a minute since I played. I forgot how to play."

"So we split into three groups of two, usually a boy and a girl. The 'girl' sits on the 'boy's' shoulders and then the person on the bottom rushes forward, running around, and the 'girl's tries to push the other groups over," Max explained as he walked over to the nearest girl and pulled her toward himself, obviously claiming her as a partner. Dominic looked around confidently for a partner. Although he was currently shorter than all the other boys, what lacked in height he made up in skill. It also helped that he was still taller than all the girls by a noticeable amount. He wouldn't have a big disadvantage, and if he played his cards right he could win.

Dominic had always been one of the last people picked when choosing teams. He never stood out enough to physical education teachers to be picked as team captain but stood out too much to his peers to be their first choice; he was always the bookworm, know-it-all, or beaver. Dominic was never one of the pretty girls or athletic boys that got picked. He pushed those thoughts away. This wasn't like primary where he had to wait to be picked. He could choose himself.

He noticed the girl that was making heart eyes at him earlier still didn't have a partner, so he moved to meet her halfway. Dominic, for some reason, found this hilarious. This confidence he now had stopped the depression thoughts he had from getting to him but he still had them, so when he started talking to this young lady his mind went: Oh no what to talk about? What did girls talk about? I talked about homework. No that wouldn't work people never did like when he talked about work. I talk about what Lavender and Pavarti talk about, nope too erotic. While this was going on in his head none of it showed on his face and he was already having an average conversation despite these thoughts. Dominic had already confirmed her name was Jess and that she has lived in town her entire life.

The girl gave him a buttery smile as she asked in a pleasant, smooth oily voice, "Where did you go before Saint Brutus's? I'd think I'd remember someone like you went to the local school."

"I used to home tutored. Schools stopped accepting me after my fifth expulsion," Dominic lied with ease. He had long learned to distance himself from the lies he told; self-preservation and all that.

Jess just gave a silent nod, before reaching over and taking Dominic's shoulder. "Could you crouch down a bit," she instructed. Dominic didn't like being told what to do by someone, not an authorized authority, so he made sure to look as though he was thinking, like he was weighing the pros and cons, to passively show her she's not the boss of him. "You're trying to get on my shoulders aren't you?" Dominic asked, not waiting for response crouched further in water and waited for her to get on his back. He straightened and centred himself once she was on. Then he asked her to move to his shoulders; as she did this he was able to stand completely still, not wobbling in the slightest.

"That was rather bold of you," Dominic said, not giving any indication of what he was talking about. "I'm sorry, What?" Jess said trying to sound confused. Dominic lowered his voice not wanting to embarrass the girl. "Your hand. It was down my trunks less than a minute ago. Like I said bold. But make sure to keep that hand from wandering. Some guys aren't as nice as I am," he said his voice, still low so only she heard. "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize I was," she said obviously lying. Dominic nodded, not otherwise acknowledging her lie.

For the first time, a sport-related activity was fun for Dominic. He had never been very good at sports despite the fact he trained in self-preservation. The game was even more fun for Dominic when he realized that although he talked to Jess she felt the need to be a slag. So verbally ribbing her was exhilarating. It also helped that Jess was a bit of a masochist and liked the attention she was receiving. At first, Dominic had decided to ignore her but when that didn't work out he got annoyed a tire her apart with his words. Honestly, Dominic wasn't entirely sure as to why the girl was acting the way she was. What kind of self-respecting girl would put her hands down a boy's shorts? Guess she wasn't, especially considering he didn't give any indication that he wanted her to do so.

The games finally ended about half an hour later and Dominic was feeling great. They would have played longer but the appearance of a snappy old lifeguard. He believed that anything other than swimming in a pool was something absolutely hilarious. After he disassembled their game of chicken, he decided to spend several minutes asking why they were having trouble swimming, and why they kept floating on the spot.

"...and why do your eyes keep rolling toward me? It's calcium deficiency, I expect. If you pass out don't expect me to save you. I warned you but do you listen…," the old man moaned and rambled until he heard the sound of someone walking faster than a walk down the other end and slowly plodded off to teach them a lesson in poolside safety.

"Finally. I thought he'd never leave." [DOMINIC] "So, what we gonna do now?" [JOSH]

"Well it is a little busy, so I think we should have some lunch now, and I can just lounge around in the sun for a while," said one of the girls, Annabelle, as she swam leisurely on her back toward the edge of the pool. Dominic didn't see anything better to do so after a moment he agreed to it and swam to the edge of the pool not caring that Jess swam right beside him, pulling himself out of the pool with ease he wouldn't have normally had.

Before joining the others, Dominic went back to the locker room to get his towel and phone, not wanting to lie on the bare grass. Once he got his items he joined the group.

The swimming pool is located in a reasonably small town and on the outskirts meant that it hadn't been squashed into the area of an old chip shop, and thus had plenty of space. By the end of the pool were some lifeguards and pool safety notices, while at the other end there was a large area of grass that ended when the too high brick walls met up in a peak. There were several medium-sized trees that hung over, casting large spots of shadow here and there. The grass was luscious and expensive feeling; it was the kind of grass you'd expect the queen might enjoy if she played football. There were about a dozen people scattered around the grass, with most of them scattered around the edge. There was a man and a woman only a few years older than Dominic using the large middle space no one else seemed interested in.

"Where we sitting?" Dominic said not caring enough to use proper grammar, once he was back and their group was all out of the water. Max shook some water out of his hair some of which landed on Dominic making him cringe. To get back at Max, Dominic wrung out his still wet shorts and flicked the excess water at Max. Laughing Max said, "We set our stuff over here." Max led the way toward some towels over by the left-hand side of the field. They haphazardly laid out so they were next to the shade. Most likely it was done that way so that the sun and shade fit the wants of everyone, but as the sun moved overhead so did the shaded areas. Everyone sat themselves down onto some towels as they moved aside items, bags, and a football. Dominic laid out his towel by Max.

"Yo Jess come sit by me," Dominic said already sitting down. Jess was about to pick up her towel but Dominic shook his head and said, "Leave your towel you'll be sitting on the grass." One of the girls was about to say something to Dominic about him being rude but Jess said, "It's okay. I like the feeling of laying on the grass. I enjoy the feel of it on my smooth skin. It is very soft." She was already up and plopping herself on the grass next to Dominic before she finished her explanation.

Dominic found Jess downright amusing. She was blushing a deep crimson like she hadn't even heard of the word sex. He knew that girls obsessed with sex went to Hogwarts heck he lived with some but it's one thing to be friends and to use them for a laugh. It also helped that Dominic wouldn't be seen in light any different from the one the others already saw. Unlike with the wizarding world where if you act outside what they deemed who you are you'll become an outcast, more so for Dominic. For example, it was well known Pavarti and Lavender eluded to pervert like qualities but if Dominic were to show the school the same qualities he'd be even more disliked.

Half an hour passed as everyone talked a bit about where they grew, with the exception of Dominic who was spewing lies like they were the truth. He also spent a large majority of the time telling Jess what to do, things like sit straighter, get me a drink or get off my blanket or you'll get punished. It was almost comical how the other girls would try to jump to Jess's aid whenever he gave an order only to be shut down by Jess herself.

It reminded Dominic that the wizarding world knew nothing about muggle children. There was a very warped view only the lives of Muggles in general. Almost like they thought that if common everyday wizards heard about the advancements the muggle world has made they'd want the two to merge. There was actually encompassed this feeling, Muggle Children and What They Do When They Aren't Playing Hopscotch by George B Marty. Dominic didn't even need to listen to the conversation to know he would ace anything Muggle Studies related; not he wouldn't have aced it anyway considering he was raised muggle.

"So how about you, Dominic? What do you do when you aren't being beaten by teachers and when you aren't stealing stuff?" Asked one of the girls, Liz he recalled.

Dominic smirk, while Liz was more reserved than Jess he'd caught her staring multiple times. "Why? Do you wish to fill my time?" He said the meaning clear. Max and Josh laughed at Liz who was currently doing an impression of a tomato.

"Not much over the summer. I guess when I'm not stealing stuff..." he began to say. "Or burning old ladies," Max interrupted.

"Yeah well Anyway. During the summer not much. I've stolen plenty of things with my mate, Harry, but he's currently indisposed. I usually end up picking a girl to be my girlfriend making it clear it's only for the summer; not that any girl I've been with truly minded. I've also got loads of projects that if any of your goody-two-shoes parents saw they'd think you're in a gang or cult."

Before anyone asked any questions about anything Dominic said, his phone rang.


End file.
